Spring suspension



May 25 1926.

A. D. TAIT SPRING SUSPENSION Filed Oct. 16 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 25 1926.

A. D. TAIT SPRING SUSPENSION 3 Sheets-Sheet '2 Filed Oct. 16 1924 Patented May 25, 1926..

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' mm D. TAIT, F EVANSTOH, ILLINOIS, ASBIGQTQR OF THREE-1017313115 TO WE- m s. wnrrn, or nvans'ron, rumors srnnm susrmrsrort.

Application and 0mm 16, 1224. mm 110. 748,959.

bined shock absorber, snubber and spring sus nsion.

still further object of the invention is the provision of new and improved connecting means between thev ends of the spring and the vehicle frame. 1

Other ob'ect-s of the invention are. the provision 0 new and improved spring suspension mechanism that is simp e in construction, cheap to manufacture, easily assembled, eliicient in operation, composed of a minimum number of parts, and that is not likely to become broken, permanently distorted or get'out of order.

Other and further objects and advantacs of the invention will appear from the ollowing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the front portion of a vehicle frame showin my invention in position thereon, with t e front axle in section, parts removed and parts broken away;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the rear portion of the vehicle frame;

Figs. 3.and 4 are enlarged views of the ends of the spring and the cooperating brackets;

Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the bracket with the end spring assembled therein;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of one of the brackets showing the spring in deflected positiou;

Fig. 7 is a perspective of one of the shims;

Fig. 8 is a erspective of one of the caps or lates for t e bracket;

ig. 9 is a perspective view of a modified form of the device; and

Fig. 10 is an end view thereof.

On the drawings the reference character 10 designates the chassis frame of an automobile, 11 the front axle, and 12 the rear axle including the housing in which the rear a de shaft 13 is rotatably mounted, all of which may be of the usual or any well known construction.

The chassis frame 10 is supported at its front and rear portion by leaf springs 14 and 15, respectively. The front 3 ring 14 has its intermediate rtion secure by any ap roved means, as t e clips 16, to the front a e. The rear spring is likewise rigidly secured to the housing 12 as by means of the clips 17. It is' understood that there is one of these springs at each end of each longitudinal memberof thechassis frame, and since all four are very much-alike, the descri tion of one will sufiice.

T e siprmg comprises a plurality of leaves 18, see ig. 2 increasing in length from the bottom up. One or more of the upper leaves are extended at each end thereof for enga ing the spring brackets or ha cers 22 and 23 rigidly secured to the chassis frame 10. In the form of the device selected to illustrate one embodiment of the invention two of the upper leaves 19 and 21 are of substantially the same length and are extended at each end for engaging said brackets. The spr in s'may be and preferably are slightly curv upwardly at their ends when in position-on the vehicle, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2.

The lower leaf 19 is provided with downwardly prtgectin curved surfaces or transverse roun ed 0 sets 24 and 25 at its front. and rear ends respectively for engaging receases in the hangers 22 and 23 as will pres ar. These surfaces may be and entlfv a pre era y are formed by bending the ends of the a ring leaf 19 to the required curvature. ese curved portions or oflsets in the ends of the spring form, with the leaf 21 eyes that are ada ted to receive a lubricant and through w ich the cap or plate retaining bolt may extend, as will presently ap or.

t is common practice to provide shackles for mounting sprin on motor vehicles. It is also common to rigidly secure one end of the spring to the chassis frame, but these arrangements are objectionable because they either permit undesirable movements of the frame, rustin and unnry friction of the shackle boits, or result in permanent distortion or breaking of the spring caused by the sharp bending of the same due to its ngld onne tlou to the frame. In rder to overcome these and many other dilliculties, I have provided a connection between the ends of the spring and the hangers that will permit relative movement between the same without resulting in objectionable movement of the chassis frame.

The spring hangers or brackets 22 and 23 are rigidly connected to the frame it) in any suitable manner. As shown, the hanger or bracket 2'). is removably mounted on the frame and the hanger .23 is integral therewith, but it is understood that they may be otherwise connected to the chassis frame.

I'Iach hanger .53 is provided with a body portion having attaching flanges and laterally extending jaws 2t; and 27 spaced apart to form the laterally opening slot 28 for receiving the spring leaves 19 and 21. The lower jaw 27 is provided with a downwardly extending curved recess :29 forming the shoulders 40 and fi l. -The recess adapted to receive the offset 24. and permit the same to rock therein. The curved recess 52.) is formed on a slightly greater radius than the offset 24, whereby the latter will be ermitted to rock within said recess but wil be prevented from sliding therein. By means of this arrangement the chassis frame is propelled forwardly by the connection at this point without the necessity of employing either radius rods or torque tubes.

The lower side of the jaw 26 is curved and it may he provided with a wear plate 31 which is secured thereto by suitable fastening means 32. The wear plate 31 may, if desired. be of the same material as the springs, but is preferably annealed instead of tempered in order to eliminate wear on the springs. The curvature of the under surface oi the jaw Qtl is such that the width of the slot is greater at its rear end than at its front end in order to accommodate the vibration of the body of the spring, and for a purpose that will presently appear.

The bracket or hanger 23 for the opposite end of the spring is also provided with upper and lower laterally extending jaws 33 and 34 similar to the jaws 26 and 27 of the bracket 22, except that the recess .5, forming the shoulders 45 and 46 in the lower jaw ill. is elongated for permitting a sliding as well as a rolling or rocking movement of the oll'set 25 of the spring. The lower curved surface of the jaw 33 is provided with a wear plate 30 similar in all respects to the, plate 31.

The hangers are provided with cover or side plates 36, see Figs. 5 and 6, which retain the end of the spring in said slot. These lates are secured to the hangers or brackets 32 and 23 by bolts 37 which are adapted to extend through the eyes in the ends of the spring. The parts are so constructed that the bolts 37 never engage the surface of the c ves or springs during the operation of the machine. The plates 36 and engaging faces of the jaws of the brackets 22 and :23 are provided with inter-engaging or interlocking members 38 for positioning the plates. If desired additional securing means as the cap screws 3!) may be employed to secure the plates to the brackets. in order to laterally adjust 'the spring and hold the same tightly within the brackets, shims 400 may be inserted in lhe slots at one or both sides of the. spring, as occasion requires. These shims are provided with openings through which the bolts 87 engage for positioning the same, within theslots. The shims prevent lateral movement of the spring thereby insuring vertical alinement of the leaves 19 and 21.

Suitable means are provided, aside from the inherent resilience of the spring, for gradually increasing the resistance to the downward flexing of the ends of the spring, whereby in the operation of the machine under normal conditions the vibration of the frame will be confined to narrow limits. Furthermore, the parts are so constructed and arranged that abnormal vibration of the frame in either direction beyond a predetermined amount will be positively prevented. In other words, the spring and its hangers or supporting brackets are so constructed and arranged that the some not only resiliently support the chassis frame, but also perform the function of a shock absorber and snubber.

1n the construction shown, the weight of the frame is supported by the engagement of the platesfiltl and 31 on the ends of the spring. Under normal load, with the machine at rest. the contact between the plates 30 and 31 and the spring is adjacent to the ends of the spring, but as the spring is deflected or its ends flexed downward by the weight on the. frame or by the movements of the vehicle over an uneven roadbed, the springs roll inwardly along the curved surfaces 30 and 31 as indicated in Fig. (3. thus gradually shortening the. effective length thereof and thereby adding an ever increasing resistance to the further downward movement of the frame.

Furthermore. since the distance between Ill the ends of the spring: will vary as tho spring is flexed. the frictional resistance hetwcen the leaf 21 and the plate 30 and between the, ofi'set 25 and the jaw 34 as the ends of the spring slide along the jaw will also operate to dampen the vibrations of the. spring.

'When the spring has been flexed downwardly to the position shown in Fig. (i the outer ends of the same will engage the shoulders 40 and 46 and the end portions of the spring will be clamped between said shoulders and the plates 30 and 31. which will prevent further pivotal movement between 1&80 164 the s and brackets, thereby resisthig i' t ger downward movement of the y of the spring. clam ing of the end of the spring in the b at 23 will very .greatl increase the frictional resistance to the irther sliding of the ofl'set 25 nlong the bracket, thus ve materially resisting further downwa movement of the frame. When theo'fl'eet 25 engages the shoulder the ends of the spring cannot further approach each other,

r the frame morefinnly the end of the spring is gripped and'the ter the resistance to the sliding of the 0 set 25 along the bracket 23, and consequently the sorts function to effectively check the reboun before the oflset 25 comes in contact with the shoulder 45.

It will be noted that in both the depression and rebound of the sprin the resist anon oiferai to its flexure in eit or direction due to the gripping of the end of the spring and the conse nent resistance to the sliding of the offset a ong the bracket 23 places a tensile instead of an additional flexing strain on the spring, and consequently the bracket engaging leaf or leaves of the spring may be much lighter and therefore more resiliout than is possible with the conventional type of springs. In fact, in practice, the leaves 19 and 21 are thinner than are usually employed and ma; be considered together as 'amain sectiona leaf.

arrangement of the brackets for the front rings may be and preferably is reversed m the arrangement of the brackets for the rear springs. In other words, the rear brackets 22 of the front a ring are identical with the front braclrcto the rear :1 ring. These brackets 22 may be termed t e power brackets since the power is delivered to the frame and front axle through the same.

The parts are so constructed that the power brackets are arranged at the intermediate portion of the frame. in other words, the brackets having the sliding connection with the spring are arranged at the front and rear of the vehicle.

The eprin are assembled by moving the some later y into the slots formed in the bra ket and applying the caps or plates for retaining them in position therein When Furthermore, thethe are assembled the front portions 0! t e'reer spf constitute what may be termed a resilien drivebetween the rear drivirif axle and the 01188518 frame.

If esire'd, an oil or ease i7 may be rovided in the mice for conducting t a lubricant to the bearing; between the brackets and the springs.- referably the passage terminates opposite the eye of the spring whereby the same will constitute an oi or grease retainer for lubricating the palm As shown, the caps or plates 36 are provided with apertures forming the passage 47 inrwhich a. grease cup me be msex-ted. The shims are'also previ ed with apertures 48 which are adapted to ahne These passages are shown as bei arra within. the plates 86 but it is un' e is immaterial in what portion of the bracket they are arranged no lo as they deliver the lubricant to the eye 0 the apri In the modified form ofthe device a own in Figs. 9 and 19 the bracket or spring hanger is divided into two sections, 51 and 52. The sections are provided with upwardly extending flanges 58 and 64 formin a channel on eachsection; The flanges o the two sections form a socket which is adapted to receive the end of the frame as shown in Fi 9 and 10. The sections are held in position on the frame end by any suitable means, as the bolts 55. The sections may beheld in assembled relation by bolts 56 vyhich are adapted to extend through one section and be tapped into the other. One of the sections, as the section 62, may be provided with a passage 67 in which is so cured in cup 68 for furnishing lubricant to the apt as in the construction shown in Figs. 1 to The interior of the bracket and the connection'of the spring thereto are subatantially the came as in'the brackets deecribed'above.

Itis thought from the foregoing taken in connection with the accompanying drawmgs thnt construction and'operation of my device will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Various changes in size, shape,

roportion and details of construction may made w thout departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

While I have shown and described my invention in connection with an automobile it is understood that such disclosure is by way of example only as the invention may be employed in other relations and on other types of vehiol niy invention=-- I na cespnng suspension acmssis frame, a pair of brackets rigidly connected to said frame, a ir of a ring leaves rigidly connected tofethhr at an central portion, one of said eaves having each end of the lubricant into the eye of the eprin gi 1t with the passage 47 to permit the passage 'ing said "frame from sni provided with an ofl'set, and the ends of the other leaf extending sot-om slid ofisets to form eyes, and bolts extending through said brackets and eyes, the bolt fitting loosely in the eye at one end of said leaves to permit a pivotal sliding movement between the eye and the bracket.

2. In a spring suspension, a frame, a. air

of brackets on said frame, a leaf spring aving: one end monthly connected to one bracket and having an ofi'set in the other end slidably connected with the other bracket.

3. In combination, a chassis frame a pair of axles, n. plurality of llilffl for supporta es, each spring comprising a leaf, means for rigidly sccnring said leaf to one of said 1:15, o pair of spring hanger bracket-s rigidly mounted on said frame, means for movabl connecting one end of said spring to one said brackcts, said means preventing a relltive sliding movement between the spring and bracket the other of said brackets being provide with a. convex curved surface for engaging an end portion of said spring for dpermitting said spring to rock thereon, In cooperating means on said bracket and spring for limiting the movement of the end portion of said spring in either direction through said bracket.

4. In a spring suspension, a spring hanger bracket comprising a body portion provided with a fixed convex surface for forming a bearing for a springand having a recess o posite said convex portion formi shouh ere, said bracket being provided wit 1 an opening for receiving the end of a 5 ring bet ween said convex surface and said s on]- ders.

5. In a. vehicle sprin in combination, a pair of master leaves. t e lower leaf having a tlnnsvcrsc rounded offset near its end, a box into which the ends of the leaves loosely projcct, the bottom of the box being rcccsscd to loosely receive the offset, and the top of the box being rounded to form a sliding bearing for the upper leaf.

6. In combination, 0. chassis frame, a pair of spring brackets rigidly mounted on said frame, a leaf spring. means rigidly connectcd to said spri for movnbly connecting: the same to said rockets, the connection between said spring and brackets being such that the ends of the spring are griilppod in said brackets when said spring is exed in either direction beyond a predetermined point.

'i'. In combination, a spring bracket and a spring having an eye in one end thereof movobly mounted in said bracket, eaid bracket. being provided with s passe terminating adjacent to said e e thnou which lubricant. may be int need into said eye.

8. In combination, a chassis frame, front and rear springs, inner and outer brackets for connectin said springs to said frame, the inner en e of said springs having a l'ocknble connection with the inner brackets, and the outer ends of the s rings having it slidin connection with sni outer brackets where y the forward portion of the rear spring and the rear rtion of the front spring cooperate vi the corresponding brackets for forming a driving connection for said frame.

9. In combination, a frame, hangers mounted on said frame, 0. 5 ring having its ends connected to said brncliets, and means on said brackets for causing frictional engagement between soidsprm'g and one of said brackets when said spring has been flexed beyond a predetermined amount.

10. In combination, a chassis frame, a lair of brackets mounted on said frame, it leaf spring hnvm I one of its ends secured to one of said hrac ets and having its other end slidnhl) connected to the other bracket, and means on one of said brackets for gripping said spring for materially increasing the frictional resistance to the sliding moremoot between said spring and bracket when sa d spring is flexed beyond a predetermined amount.

11. In combination, a chassis frame, a pair of brackets mounted on said frame, a sprin having one and se ured to one of said rockets and having av sliding conncction between its other end and the other of said brackets, means associated with one of said brackets for increasing the resistance to the sliding movement of said spring in said bracket and to limit the flexing of said spring.

12. A spring-attaching bracket comprising n body portion, a pair of jaws extending laterally ll] spaced relation to form a spring receiving slot, a curved wear plate secured to the under surface of the upper jaw, and a recess formed in the upper surface of the lower jaw, and a cap for closing one side of said slot.

13. A spring-attaching bracket comprising a body portion, a pair of jaws extending laterally in spaced relation to form a spring receiving slot, raid slot being wider at one end than the other, 1; cup for closin one side of said slot, a bolt for securing Sllll cap in iosition and shims mounted on said bolt wit Ill! said slot.

14. A spring-attaching bracket comprising a body portion split vertically into two sections, each having laterally extending jaws spliced apart to form a spring receiving slot, 1 channel attaching mlunber extending upwardly from each section, and means for holdim. said sections together to form a closed slot for receiving a spring end and forming a socket for the reception of the end of a chassis frame bar.

15. In combination, a frame, a pair of brackets rigidly mounted on said frame, each of said brackets provided with laterally extending jaws, the upper of said jaws being curved, tempered wear plates on said upper jaws, said lower jaws each provided with a recess forming a shoulder at each end thereof, a leaf spring )rovided with a curved otl'set at each end for engaging in said recesses whereby when said spring is flexed its effective length is automaticall changed and on further movement it wil be clamped between said jaws and further flexing resisted, thereby materially increasing the frictional resistance to the sliding of said spring along the elongated slot, and whereby the loops will engage the inner shoulders to limit the flexing of the spring in either direction.

16. A bracket for a spring suspension comprising a body portion having laterally extendin r jaws spaced apart for the reception of t to end of a leat spring, the lower jaw being provided with a downwardly extending recess and said body portion being provided with attaching flanges.

17. In combination, a frame, a pair of brackets secured to said frame, one of said brackets being provided with a curved spring engaging surface, a leaf spring and means rigidly connected to said spring for connecting the ends of said spring to said brackets, whereby the same will engage said curved surface during the flexing of said sprin In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ALFRED D. TAIT.

brackets rigidly mounted on said frame, each of said brackets provided with laterally extending jaws, the upper of said jaws being curved, tempered wear plates on said upper jaws, said ower jaws each provided with a recess forming a shoulder at each end thereof, a leaf spring )rovided with a curved offset at each end for engaging in said recesses whereby when said spring is flexed its effective length is automaticall changed and on further movement it wil be clamped between said jaws and further flexing resisted, thereby material] increasing the frictional resistance to t e sliding of said spring along the elongated slot, and whereby the loops will engage the inner shoulders to limit the flexing of the spring in either direction.

16. A bracket for a spring suspension comprising a body portion having laterally cxtendin jaws spaced apart for the reception of t :e end of a lent spring, the lower jaw being provided with a downwardly extending recess and said body portion being provided with attaching flanges.

17. In combination, a frame, a pair of brackets secured to said frame, one of said brackets being provided with acurved spring engaging surface, a leaf spring and means rigidly connected to said spring for connecting the ends of said spring to said brackets, whereby the same will engage said curved surface during the flexing of said spring.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ALFRED D. TAIT.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,586,1t34, gra.nted May 25, 1926, upon the application of Alfred D. Tait, of Evanston, Il lln01S, for an 1mprove m ent in Spring Suspensions, an error appears in the printed specification r airing correction as follows: Page 5, line 31, claim 17 before the word connecting insert the word rockably; and that the said Letters 1 mm should be mad with thls correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oflioe.

Signed and. sealed this 20th day of July, A. D; 1926.

[SEAL] M. J. MOORE, Acting Gammissimer of Patents.

Certificate of Correction.

IL is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,586,164, granted May 25, 1926, upon the application of Alfred D. Tail, of llvunston, Illinois, for an improvement in Spring Suspensions, an error appears in the printed specification requiring r-orrection as follows: Page 5, line 31, claim 17, before the word connectin insert the word roclcably; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this cormc tion therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent ()fiioe.

Signed and sealed this 20th day of July, A. D. 1926.

[SEAL] M. J. MOORE,

Acting Commissimwr of Patents. 

